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Railing Against the System
Commuter group calls on legislature to buy new rail cars now
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Business New Haven
4/2/2003
By: BNH
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HARTFORD - In its annual report to the General Assembly's transportation committee, the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council said that the issues facing commuter rail service along the state's coastline had reached "crisis" proportions.
"We're facing a true crisis in rail commutation," said rail council ice chairman Jim Cameron of Darien. "On an average day, 15 percent of all cars are shopped for repairs. We don't have enough station parking, there's a shortage of seats for riders and now we're facing a 20-percent fare increase.
"Until lawmakers give [the state's Department of Transportation] the money to buy new cars - a three- to four-year process - conditions will only worsen," added Cameron.
The group's report made five specific recommendations to lawmakers:
o Order enough new passenger rail cars to meet existing and projected ridership growth.
o Expand rail maintenance facilities, shop space and personnel to service that equipment in a timely way.
o Improve station and rail car cleanliness and amenities to attract and keep riders.
o Expand affordable parking at stations.
o Increased bus, shuttle and jitney service to and from commuter rail stations to homes and jobs.
"It's foolish to waste money marketing mass transit as an alternative to the car with such old equipment and crowding conditions," said council chairman Rodney Chabot of New Canaan. "What we must spend money on is new cars and service facilities to support them."
In testimony before the Committee on Transportation as it considers H.B. 6671, enacting certain recommendations of the Transportation Strategy Board (TSB), Cameron noted that even the TSB-recommended measures fall short of what's needed.
"They [the TSB] called for 20 new locomotives and 64 new coaches for Metro-North and Shore Line East," Cameron testified to the committee. "Meanwhile, [the state's] DOT says we actually need 400-500 new cars in the years to come. This is like putting a Band-Aid on cancer and telling the patient you've done all you can."
Created by the legislature to act as watchdogs for rail commuters' interests, the rail council comprises volunteer commuters who meet monthly with Metro-North, the DOT and Amtrak officials to discuss issues affecting rail commuters. The group receives no state funds for its work.
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